Classic Swedish Cinnamon Bun
This traditional Swedish kanelbullar (cinnamon buns) recipe is made with a perfectly soft and chewy cardamom dough!
3 Hours
20-25 buns
Ingredients
How to do it
Dough
25 g fresh yeast
250 ml (1 cup) cold milk
75 g (1/3 cup) fine cane sugar or granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
400 g (2 3/4 cups) all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. flaky salt
100 g very soft salted butter
Filling
125 g very soft salted butter
2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
35 g (3 tbsp.) fine cane sugar or granulated sugar
Syrup
35 g (3 tbsp.) fine cane sugar or granulated sugar
4 tbsp. water
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
Dough
Crumble the yeast into a large bowl. Pour a little bit of the milk over the yeast and stir until the yeast is dissolved.
Add the rest of the milk, sugar and cardamom and stir until sugar is dissolved.
In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, stir in most of the flour. Add the salt and the bits of butter and work until incorporated, then add the remaining flour.
Work the dough for about 10 minutes or until it’s smooth and elastic. The dough will be a little sticky to the touch, but don’t be tempted to add more flour – this will make the buns dry.
Cover the bowl with a damp, clean kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature, or if you want to use the cold rise method, cover the bowl with a lid, or plastic wrap and let rise overnight (about 8-10 hours) in the fridge.
Filling
While the dough is rising, combine butter, cinnamon and sugar in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Set aside.
Shape the dough, make the syrup
Line two baking sheets with baking paper and set aside.
When the dough is ready, whether you’ve used the overnight method or room temp method, roll out the dough (do not knead it at this point) on a floured surface into a 51 x 35 cm (20 by 13.5 inches) rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, almost all the way out to the edges.
Tightly roll up the dough, brushing off any excess flour, starting from the 51 cm (20-inch) side. Seal the ‘seam’ by pinching together the dough.
Use a dough scraper or knife to cut the roll into 25 buns. Place the buns on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each bun. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Let proof for 45 minutes at room temperature.
While the buns are proofing, prepare the syrup by combining sugar, water, salt and cardamom in a saucepan. Let the mixture come to a boil and swirl the pan until sugar has melted. Set aside to cool.
Bake the buns
Preheat the oven to 225°C (435°F).
Whisk together egg, water and salt in a small bowl. Brush the buns with the egg mixture and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
Bake one sheet at a time, for 9-11 minutes or until the buns are golden brown. As soon as you remove the baking sheet from the oven, use a clean pastry brush to brush the buns with the syrup. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.